Councillors urged to build public toilets in new multi-million pound car park in Darlington

COUNCILLORS have been urged to consider building public toilets in a new £7m multi-storey car park in Darlington.

Darlington Borough Council closed the toilets in the town’s Covered Market in April 2012 in a bid to save £38,000 a year.

The facilities were the last authority-owned public toilets in the town, and since the closure, several calls have been made by both councillors and market traders to see them reopened.

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At a meeting of the council’s cabinet, Councillor Heather Scott, Conservative group leader at the authority, asked members to consider whether toilets could be built in a new car park on the edge of Darlington town centre as visitors to the town often struggled without access to a public toilet.

The 650-space car park will provide parking for a multi-million pound leisure development planned for an adjacent site, as well as new accommodation for Darlington Association on Disability (Dad).

“This issue has been raised with me about the difficulties of people coming into town and quite a few car parks do have these facilities,” said Coun Scott.

“I just wondered whether that had been considered or whether we could look into it.”

Director of place Richard Alty said the council chose to shut the toilets for economic reasons and that the authority would face further running costs if they were to include toilets in the new car park.

He said: “We haven’t looked at putting toilets in there, at the moment it is just a car park which will also be used by Dad.

“The council took the position to shut the town centre toilets for economic reasons, there are toilets around in the shopping centre and the Dolphin Centre.

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“We can have a look at the costs.”

Coun Nick Wallis, the council’s cabinet member for leisure and local environment said Darlington was not the only authority having to close public toilets.

“I think a number of towns and cities are facing exactly the same issues,” he said.

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Council leader Bill Dixon agreed to consider the suggestion, saying: “It is worth looking at. It is a reasonable request to check, given that we are only at the design stage.

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Comments (5)

Councillors urged to build public toilets in new multi-million pound car park in Darlington

Jaga says...1:45pm Thu 9 Jan 14

“The older I get the more I feel we need to look at these issues.” So, it's all right not to bother about them when you are younger and in power is it Bill (crossed legs) Dixon?

“The older I get the more I feel we need to look at these issues.” So, it's all right not to bother about them when you are younger and in power is it Bill (crossed legs) Dixon?Jaga

“The older I get the more I feel we need to look at these issues.” So, it's all right not to bother about them when you are younger and in power is it Bill (crossed legs) Dixon?

Score: 4

Darloresident says...4:02pm Thu 9 Jan 14

Puffing Billy comes up with yet another ill judged comment which shows his selfish attitude to all things civic... What has age got to with providing a public toilet?

Puffing Billy comes up with yet another ill judged comment which shows his selfish attitude to all things civic...
What has age got to with providing a public toilet?Darloresident

Puffing Billy comes up with yet another ill judged comment which shows his selfish attitude to all things civic... What has age got to with providing a public toilet?

Score: 6

Homshaw1 says...4:16pm Thu 9 Jan 14

People need to go to the toilet. £38K is a small amount of money in the context of the total council spend. I went walking at Swainby a few weeks ago - a little village tucked away in the Cleveland Hills. It had public toilets. I can't understand why a place like Darlington can't afford them

People need to go to the toilet.
£38K is a small amount of money in the context of the total council spend.
I went walking at Swainby a few weeks ago - a little village tucked away in the Cleveland Hills. It had public toilets. I can't understand why a place like Darlington can't afford themHomshaw1

People need to go to the toilet. £38K is a small amount of money in the context of the total council spend. I went walking at Swainby a few weeks ago - a little village tucked away in the Cleveland Hills. It had public toilets. I can't understand why a place like Darlington can't afford them

Score: 2

pixie4612 says...4:34pm Fri 10 Jan 14

I think toilets are more important in Cockerton where there is a vast number of shops and a library but no where to use the toilet or to change a babies nappy. At least in town there are facilities which can be used such as at the Dolphin Centre, or the library or in BInns etc.

I think toilets are more important in Cockerton where there is a vast number of shops and a library but no where to use the toilet or to change a babies nappy. At least in town there are facilities which can be used such as at the Dolphin Centre, or the library or in BInns etc.pixie4612

I think toilets are more important in Cockerton where there is a vast number of shops and a library but no where to use the toilet or to change a babies nappy. At least in town there are facilities which can be used such as at the Dolphin Centre, or the library or in BInns etc.

Score: 3

Erasmus-0 says...9:06pm Fri 10 Jan 14

Axing Bill Dixon will save more than £38k a year. Problem solved.

Axing Bill Dixon will save more than £38k a year. Problem solved.Erasmus-0

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